It is a fact. You can grow Melaleuca Alternifolia trees just by planting a seed. It does take the right environment and the right green thumb though. Not just anyone who sticks a Melaleuca seed in the ground will successfully grow a Melaleuca tree in their backyard. If you are interested in growing a Melaleuca tree, you need to know the tricks. Here is some helpful advice I found at MelaleucaAlternifolia.org:

"In spring, the seed was led onto a pot of permanently moist soil. Immerse in 5cm of water and do not water from overhead. Grow on until the seedlings are 0.5cm tall than remove from the water and pot up a after a week. Seedlings are liable to damp off when grown this way, sowing the seed thinly, good ventilation and hygiene are essential for success. Grow the plants on for at least their first winter in a greenhouse and then plant them out in late spring or early summer after last expected frosts. Consider giving the plants some protection from the cold for their first few winters outdoors."

Happy gardening! If you have had success planting a Melaleuca tree, leave a comment. We want to hear the details of what you did.

Melaleuca is also know as Tea Tree. Bet you knew that already. I bet you didn't know that Melaleuca is also commonly known as Narrow Leaved Paperbark according to the http://www.anbg.gov.au/common.names/. Melaleuca may be hard to say, but narrow leaved paperbark sure is a mouthful!

Melaleuca really isn't that hard to say. You can say it five times fast and not get your tongue tied.

Melaleuca Man-Jim Jonders

Okay. Okay. Okay! So Jim Jonders isn't my real name, but I am not here to build a big fan base and become famous, so it is my alias. I just want to share the facts about a tree I love. The tea tree, scientifically known as Melaleuca Alternifolia.